I love the movement on so many blogs and websites lately toward green cleaning supplies. I definitely have a few favorites I use at home. (Check out my blog on making homemade deodorant.)
But I've often wondered about a couple ingredients commonly seen in these "green" recipes for making your own cleaners. Anytime a recipe for a homemade "green" cleanser includes a store-bought manufactured product that is not labeled as green or ecologically safe ... well, you got to wonder.
One common ingredient in these online recipes that always made me raise an eyebrow was Borox.
Now, I just recently learned that my eyebrows were onto something. According to the Environmental Working Group, Borox is not the green clean alternative many have hoped it would be.
Check out EWG's blog on the topic. They very clearly describe the possible health effects of Borox, such as skin and eye irritation as well as hormone disruption. The blog also recommends lovely alternatives, such as vinegar and lemon juice.
February 27, 2011
February 22, 2011
Miso Soup
I was over-hungry, you know? Kind of jittery-hunger, needing food NOW. But most quick foods would worsen the problem (quick foods = usually simple carbohydrates that turn into sugar in the blood, resulting in quick energy, inflammation, etc.).
I wanted something that would steady me, ground me, fill me up.
How had I forgotten about the miracle of miso soup? Thankfully, I remembered ...
Simple Miso Soup
1 T. organic cold-pressed oil (olive, vegetable, safflower)
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, diced
6 cups of water
1-2 vegetarian bouillon cubes (I used Rapunzel's vegan, organic bouillon)
organic non-GMO tofu, cubed (a half package, about 7 ounces)
4 diced organic scallions
organic non-GMO miso paste (follow instructions on your package)
1/2 t. dried parsley
1/2 t. dried basil
1/2 t. garlic-chili paste
1) On medium heat in a large pot, saute the onion in the oil until the onion is translucent and slightly browned. Add the garlic, and continue cooking until the garlic is also slightly browned.
2) Add the water, bouillon, garlic-chili paste, dried parsley, and dried basil. Allow this basic broth to simmer slightly, and be sure to mix until the bouillon has thoroughly dissolved.
3) Add the cubed tofu.
4) When you are ready to serve, add the miso paste. To do so, take out a cup of the broth and dissolve the miso paste in it, then add this back into the soup pot. Add the amount of paste as directed on the brand you have purchased for 4-6 cups of water. Do not boil the soup once you have added the miso paste.
5) Add the scallions, and you are ready to serve!
Meaner, Greener, Leaner!
* Miso soup is a great, healthy meal. Low in calorie, high in protein, and rather filling. Be careful about the sodium--no need to add salt to the broth as the bouillon and miso paste will both have sodium.
* In my opinion, the most important health choice you can make with this recipe is picking organic, non-GMO tofu. Genetically modified soy has many serious problems associated with it: (1) the planting of GMO soy crops is affecting the genetic diversity other soy crops, (2) companies like Montasanto are actually claiming ownership of crops with their genetic modifications, which means a non-GMO crop that was fertilized by GMO-seeds or spore carried by the wind can and has been argued in courts as "owned" by Montasanto. This creates a big problem for many farmers and is linked with increasing poverty and poor health in South America, and (3) GMO itself is being linked to health problems, such as sterility and birth defects.
* Check out these various websites for more information:
Say No to GMOs!
Millions Against Montasanto
Union of Concerned Scientists
Here is another picture from the process.
Two bowls of soup: one for me, one for my husband :-)
I wanted something that would steady me, ground me, fill me up.
How had I forgotten about the miracle of miso soup? Thankfully, I remembered ...
Simple Miso Soup
1 T. organic cold-pressed oil (olive, vegetable, safflower)
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, diced
6 cups of water
1-2 vegetarian bouillon cubes (I used Rapunzel's vegan, organic bouillon)
organic non-GMO tofu, cubed (a half package, about 7 ounces)
4 diced organic scallions
organic non-GMO miso paste (follow instructions on your package)
1/2 t. dried parsley
1/2 t. dried basil
1/2 t. garlic-chili paste
1) On medium heat in a large pot, saute the onion in the oil until the onion is translucent and slightly browned. Add the garlic, and continue cooking until the garlic is also slightly browned.
2) Add the water, bouillon, garlic-chili paste, dried parsley, and dried basil. Allow this basic broth to simmer slightly, and be sure to mix until the bouillon has thoroughly dissolved.
3) Add the cubed tofu.
4) When you are ready to serve, add the miso paste. To do so, take out a cup of the broth and dissolve the miso paste in it, then add this back into the soup pot. Add the amount of paste as directed on the brand you have purchased for 4-6 cups of water. Do not boil the soup once you have added the miso paste.
5) Add the scallions, and you are ready to serve!
Meaner, Greener, Leaner!
* Miso soup is a great, healthy meal. Low in calorie, high in protein, and rather filling. Be careful about the sodium--no need to add salt to the broth as the bouillon and miso paste will both have sodium.
* In my opinion, the most important health choice you can make with this recipe is picking organic, non-GMO tofu. Genetically modified soy has many serious problems associated with it: (1) the planting of GMO soy crops is affecting the genetic diversity other soy crops, (2) companies like Montasanto are actually claiming ownership of crops with their genetic modifications, which means a non-GMO crop that was fertilized by GMO-seeds or spore carried by the wind can and has been argued in courts as "owned" by Montasanto. This creates a big problem for many farmers and is linked with increasing poverty and poor health in South America, and (3) GMO itself is being linked to health problems, such as sterility and birth defects.
* Check out these various websites for more information:
Say No to GMOs!
Millions Against Montasanto
Union of Concerned Scientists
Here is another picture from the process.
Two bowls of soup: one for me, one for my husband :-)
February 19, 2011
Saturday Night Mango Margaritas
My husband and I went to Costa Rica in December. It was aaawwwwesommmee! We spent the last couple days of our trip on the Pacific coast. By two o'clock in the afternoon, the black sand beach was scorching. Lucky for us, there was a single restaurant on the beach ... with some small outdoor tables, a little shade, and some amazing mango margaritas.
I decided to recreate these tasty drinks for us to enjoy at home.
Mango Margaritas
I loosely followed this excellent recipe from Michael Chiarello.
-I used 2 large mangos to make the mango puree. Then I used half of that to make these two mango margaritas (about a cup and a half of mango puree). I like them extra mango-y, so it worked for me. I froze the remaining half of the mango puree for some future night.
-I also like a lot of lime juice. So, unlike the recipe, I didn't rim the glass with a lime wedge, instead I added a bunch of lime juice to the mix itself (about a half a lime's worth).
-Also, I chilled the tequila and the mango puree before mixing everything together, which resulted in a very smooth creamy blended drink. Just like in Costa Rica!
Meaner, Greener, Leaner!
* I bought some organic mangos for this recipe. But according to EWGs study of pesticides in various produce, they've found that there is a relatively low level of pesticides in non-organic mangos. Mangos are actually #5 on their "Clean Fifteen" list. Not bad! So organic or nonorganic mangos are good to go!
* To get the EWGs shopper's guide to produce, go here.
Here are more pictures from the process.
Brand-new blender pureeing the hell out of the mango, sugar, and water!
Voila!
I decided to recreate these tasty drinks for us to enjoy at home.
Mango Margaritas
I loosely followed this excellent recipe from Michael Chiarello.
-I used 2 large mangos to make the mango puree. Then I used half of that to make these two mango margaritas (about a cup and a half of mango puree). I like them extra mango-y, so it worked for me. I froze the remaining half of the mango puree for some future night.
-I also like a lot of lime juice. So, unlike the recipe, I didn't rim the glass with a lime wedge, instead I added a bunch of lime juice to the mix itself (about a half a lime's worth).
-Also, I chilled the tequila and the mango puree before mixing everything together, which resulted in a very smooth creamy blended drink. Just like in Costa Rica!
Meaner, Greener, Leaner!
* I bought some organic mangos for this recipe. But according to EWGs study of pesticides in various produce, they've found that there is a relatively low level of pesticides in non-organic mangos. Mangos are actually #5 on their "Clean Fifteen" list. Not bad! So organic or nonorganic mangos are good to go!
* To get the EWGs shopper's guide to produce, go here.
Here are more pictures from the process.
Brand-new blender pureeing the hell out of the mango, sugar, and water!
Voila!
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